Peer Review

Ratings

Overall Numeric Rating:

Human Anatomy – BIO 29 is the anatomy website of a Penn State course entitled Biology 129. This site is a collection of links and images to allow the user to view course specimens and dissections. It is a study site for a basic human anatomy class. The site provides labeled images for users to practice identifying anatomical structures, and then provides the answers. Modules covered in this site are the Human Skeletal System, the Muscular System of the cat, the Digestive System of the cat, the Circulatory System of the cat, the Urogenital System of the cat, and the Nervous System of the cat, and images of the sheep brain and eye. Also included in each module are actual dissection pictures of the cat, sheep brain, sheep eye, human bones, and models of the human kidney, eye and ear. The target audience would be college general education students; however, advanced high school students could also find the site useful.

Type of Material:

This material includes a collection of images of a cat dissection, sheep brain and eye, human bones, and models of the kidney, eye and ear (human).

Recommended Uses:

The site can be used to review information for a lab practical. It is a supplement for a basic anatomy class. The site could be used as an online lab session. The images could also be used in lectures or on worksheets.

Technical Requirements:

This site can be easily viewed with Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Students will be able to identify anatomical structures on cat dissections, anatomical structures on human bones, and anatomical structures on the sheep brain or eye.

Target Student Population:

This is for students of a basic anatomy or anatomy & physiology class. It is for seniors in high school, general education in college, first year health care students.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

There are no pre-requisites, although it would be helpful for a user to have a knowledge of anatomical terminology and structures. An understanding of the basic anatomy of the cat is also needed. Students can obtain this information from their textbook, lecture, and lab activities.

Evaluation and Observation

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

Photographs and pictures are good quality

Content is valid and accurate

Site provides foundational information of the gross anatomy of the cat

Material could be used for online labs, as a review for lab practicals, or images could be used in lectures or on worksheets

Concerns:

Some of the structures are small and can be hard to see

At the time of this review, some of the fetal pictures are mislabeled (see gravid womb)

In the “Digestive System,” the links to the “Salivary Glands” and “Larynx” do not work

The image in the Male Reproductive System was difficult to see; a close-up picture would help to distinguish some of the structures.

In the “Lower Extremity”, the terms “Skippy’s tail” and “Skippy’s scrotum” do not need to be used; “Cat’s tail” or “Cat’s scrotum” would be sufficient

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

Site could easily be integrating into a zoology or anatomy and physiology course.

Pictures and images are high quality and very clear

Labels on the pictures are clear and correct

Provides an excellent and extensive review for a lab practical

Useful for reviewing basic anatomic structures

Concerns:

Labeling is for a specific course; may not apply to other courses

No objectives listed

Site may benefit from questions to promote problem solving skills

Interactivity is limited to page turning and looking up selected views

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

Very simple to use; like flash cards

Easy to navigate

Site is self-contained

Concerns:

In the “Digestive System,” the links to the “Salivary Glands” and “Larynx” do not work

Other Issues and Comments:

This site was designed for a course offered in 1998 and may need to be updated. The syllabus and course notes are great for this particular course and revisions / updates would be helpful for others using this material.